Two thirds of shop owners threatened with abuse in the past year
Nearly 9 in 10 shopkeepers had received verbal abuse
Two thirds of shop owners have been threatened with physical abuse by customers, according to new research.
After a poll was carried out from retail union USDAW, it was revealed that just under half of shop workers don't feel confident that reporting abuse will make a difference.
The figures come as the annual Respect for Shopworkers Week is being observed.
A push to reduce abuse
USDAW surveyed 3,500 people regarding their experiences with abuse and over the past year. Of those surveyed, 89% experienced verbal abuse from customers - with 64% being threatened with physical violence.
Eleven percent of those asked were assaulted; however, only 7% of assaults were actually reported to the police and union.
To reduce the possibility of further abuse, USDAW is campaigning for a new UK-wide law protecting workers, similar to legislation that came into force in Scotland in August this year.
Mervyn Sterry, a retail worker in Gloucestershire, feels as if reporting abuse is like ticking boxes.
"The people who do the abuse and shoplifting, they know the rules and they know that the police aren't going to get involved," he said.
"We're coming to the time of year now where shoplifting increase because of Christmas. It's not something we should be used to but it's something we keep getting every year.
"This year might be more challenging though because last Christmas was much quieter so we may be a little bit shocked at the same time".
General Secretary of USDAW, Paddy Lillis, said: “It is shocking that 9 in 10 of our members working in retail are suffering abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. So it is extremely worrying that over half are not confident that reporting these issues will make any difference.
“The new protection of workers law in Scotland is welcome and we urge the UK Government to extend it to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Retail staff across the UK have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law."
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